Lindsey Vonn Provides Update on Recovery After Winter Olympics Crash
Five months after her serious accident at the Winter Olympics, Lindsey Vonn continues her recovery journey. The former Olympic gold medalist has shared that she still has significant rehabilitation ahead.
Appearing on “SportsCenter” on Friday, Vonn provided an update from a condition that nearly led to the amputation of her left leg. While her left leg is healing, it is still missing an ACL, which she tore during her last downhill run before the Olympics. However, this injury is not her primary concern right now:
“My left leg is actually healing really nicely. I still have no ACL, so I need to get the metal out and fix that. But yeah, my right ankle’s been the problem child. It’s still broken, but it doesn’t hurt that much.
Since her crash in Italy, Vonn has documented her recovery on social media and has not dismissed the possibility of returning to competition when she regains full functionality.
However, the journey has not been easy for her. While injuries have been a familiar challenge throughout her career, the scale of her current situation is unprecedented:
“I’ve learned a lot about patience. I thought I knew something about it, but it really tested me in so many ways. I felt like I was working so hard but the progress was so slow. The bones don’t heal the same way that ligaments do and I wasn’t quite used to that.
“I was retired for six years and I’ve been through a lot of injuries in the past. I know what it’s like to come back and where I need to be mentally to get there, but this is obviously different. It’s a much longer rehab process. The pain was substantially more than I’ve ever had in the past.”
While recovering at home in Utah, Vonn has still managed to make public appearances. She appeared at the Met Gala in May without crutches and attended the ESPYs earlier this week, where she presented the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award to Stephen Curry. Vonn conducted her “SportsCenter” interview from Fanatics Fest in New York, participating in a panel alongside Tom Brady, Serena Williams, James Harden, and Candace Parker to discuss ownership in women’s sports teams (she is a minority owner of the NWSL’s Utah Royals).
Vonn has been open about her challenges both before and after her injury. Competing in skiing again at the age of 41 was already a bold decision, and despite tearing her ACL while preparing for the Milano Cortina, she chose to compete in the Olympics. Shortly after her accident, she expressed awareness of the risks involved and stated she has no regrets.